S ^ 


^9 


THE  BIBLE  TESTED; 


IS  IT  THE  BOOK  FOR  TO-DAY  AND  FOR  THE  WORLD? 


C|c  in  ;|nliia. 


A SERMON  PREACHED  BY  APPOINTMENT  BEFORE  THE 


funcvicivu  <^odetg, 


In  the-  Fourth  Ayenne  Fresbyferian  Church,  Tork  City, 

May  5th,-  /878. 


JACOB  CHAMBERLAIN,  M.D.,  D.D., 

MI93IONAKT  IN  THE  ARCOT  MISSION,  INDIA,  OF  THE  REFORMED  CHURCH  IN  AMERICA. 


NEW  YOEK: 

AMERICAN  BIBLE  SOCIETY, 

INSTITUTED  IN  THE  TEAR  MDCCCXVI. 


1879. 


M 


[FROM  THE  MINUTES  OF  THE  SOCIETY,  MAY  9,  18T8.] 


At  the  Annual  Meeting  of  the  American  Bible  Society,  held 
at  the  Bible  House  this  day,  the  following  resolution  was  unani- 
mously adopted : 

Besolved,  That  the  thanks  of  this  Society  be  presented  to  the 
Rev.  Jacob  Chamberlain,  M.  D.,  of  India,  for  the  valuable  Discourse 
delivered  by  him  in  this  city  on  Sabbath  evening  last,  in  behalf 
of  this  Society,  and  that  a copy  of  the  same  be  requested  for 
publication. 


THE  BIBLE  TESTED; 

Is  it  the  Book  for  To-Day  and  for  the  World  ? 


“The  law  of  the  Lord  is  perfect.” — Psalm  xix.  7. 

The  word  “ law,”  or  the  expression,  “ the  law  of  the 
Lord,”  is  used  in  two  senses  in  the  Bible:  the  first  coniines 
it  to  the  law  of  Moses. 

On  iny  recent  journey  home  from  India,  after  passing 
up  through  the  length  of  the  lied  Sea,  I turned  aside  and 
went  down  through  the  desert,  and  came  to  and  climbed 
to  the  summit  of  Mount  Sinai.  I stood  on  tlie  very  spot 
where,  thirty-three  centuries  before,  amid  thunderings  and 
lightnings,  that  law  was  delivered  by  Jehovah  to  ]Moses. 
I looked  out  on  that  beautiful,  triangular  plain,  some  five 
miles  long  by  three  broad,  shut  in  by  high  mountains  on 
every  side,  and  coming  up  to  the  foot  of  the  almost  per- 
pendicular Sinai — “the  mount  that  might  be  touched” — 
from  every  part  of  which  plain  the  summit  of  the  mount 
might  be  seen,  and  the  cloud  resting  on  the  mount.  I 
remembered  that,  when  that  law  was  delivered,  all  of 
the  worshippers  of  the  true  God,  Jehovah,  in  the  then 
world,  were  gathered  on  that  plain  waiting  for  their  divine 
orders — for  that  law,  the  observance  of  which  should  make 
them  “ a peculiar  people  ” — until  the  time  when  the  Xaza- 
rene  should  appear,  and,  breaking  down  the  encircling- 
walls  of  exclusiveness,  should  gather  in  all  nations,  even 
us  Gentiles,  unto  himself;  and  I thought  how  all-important 
was  it  that  the  law  then  and  there  delivered  should  be 
“ perfect.”  And  it  is  perfect.  The  learning,  the  sagacity, 
the  ingenuity  of  all  succeeding  ages  have  utterly  failed 


3411 


4 


THE  BIBLE  TESTED;  OB, 


to  produce  so  perfect  a code  of  morals  as  was  there  pro- 
claimed. This  Christianity’s  worst  enemies  have  always 
admitted.  Aye,  the  “moral  law”  successfully  challenges 
the  admiration  of  the  whole  world  as  a perfect  law. 

But  the  expression,  “ the  law  of  the  Lord,”  is  used  in  a 
l)roader  sense.  It  means,  the  whole  revealed  will  of  God, 
as  contained  in  the  book  called  “ the  Bible.”  And  in  this 
its  broadest  sense,  we  are  i>repared  to  fling  down  the 
gauntlet  and  challenge  the  contradiction  of  the  world, 
while  we  declare  and  maintain  that  “ the  law  of  the  Lord 
is  perfect.” 

I.  First,  take  it  as  a literary  production.  Where  do  we 
tind  such  sublime  poetic  imagery  as  in  the  Bible  ? where 
such  exactness  and  accuracy  of  historic  detail,  as  evidenced 
by  known  profane  history,  and  more  and  more  by  each 
successive  Assyrian  and  Egyptian  discovery  ? where  snch 
majestic  soarings  of  prophetic  vision  ? where  such  faithful 
l>ortrayal  of  character  in  biography  ? where  snch  intensity 
and  sublimity  of  the  righteous  denunciation  of  the  wrong  ? 
where  such  inimitable  pleadings  with  those  who  needlessly 
are  “ weary  and  heavy  laden  f”  where  such  winning  por- 
trayals of  the  divine  life  in  man,  as  in  the  parables  that 
Jesus  spoke  I 

But  there  is  another  test  of  literary  productions,  which 
but  few  books  indeed  can  stand.  Bunyan’s  Pilgrim’s 
Progress  has  stood  that  test  measurably  well ; but  how 
many  other  books  are  there  that  can  ? I mean  the  test  of 
translation  into  diverse  languages  of  dissimilar  peojde,  of 
diflerent  modes  of  thought  and  varied  forms  of  expressing 
their  thoughts  and  conceptions.  Shakspcare  translated 
into  French,  we  are  told,  is  emasculated;  how  if  translated 
into  Chinese?  How  would  Mrs.  Fartinfiton  sound  in 
German?  Longfelloiv,  or  Tennyson.,  in  Hottentot?  Irving  in 
Arabic  ? or  Whittier  in  Choctaw  ? The  Bible  h;is  stood  this 
crucial  tost  in  the  languages  of  all  (luarters  of  the  globe. 
And  in  this  matter  I speak  from  some  experience  and  from 
extended  observation  ; for — having  been  engaged  for  years 


THE  BIBLE  IN  INDIA. 


in  the  work  of  translating  the  Scriptures  from  the  Hebrew 
into  one  of  the  most  polislied  of  the  hingua<»:es  of  the  East ; 
having;:,  in  my  journeys,  visited  the  mission  stations  of  forty 
ditferent  missionary  societies,  labouring  in  twenty-nine 
ditferent  languages ; and  having  conv’ersed  with  many  of 
those  engaged  in  translating  the  Bible  into  those  lan- 
guages, as  well  as  with  others,  in  Enroi)e  and  America, 
engaged  in  similar  work — I know  whereof  I affirm  when  I 
rei)eat  the  declaration,  that  the  Bible  has  stood  this  crucial 
test  of  translation  in  the  languages  of  all  quarters  of  the 
globe.  From  Greenland  to  Patagonia,  in  the  western  hem- 
isphere; from  Iceland  through  Europe  and  Asia  to  the 
.Japanese  and  the  Australians,  in  the  eastern;  from  the 
Copts  of  Egypt  to  the  Kafirs  of  South  Africa;  from  the 
South  Sea  Islands  of  the  Pacific  through  the  oceans  to 
Madagascar — the  Bible  has  been  rendered  into  their  lan- 
guages with  triumphant  success. 

Moses’s  history  of  the  creation  and  of  the  early  world ; 
.Joshua’s  wars  and  marches;  the  defeats  and  victories  un- 
der the  judges  and  kings;  David’s  penitential  i)rayers  and 
psalms  of  praise;  Solomon’s  peerless  proverbs;  Isaiah’s 
splendid  imagery;  Jeremiah’s  doleful  lamentations ; Luke 
the  physician’s  wonderful  life-pictures  of  Christ  on  earth, 
and  of  the  founding  of  the  early  Christian  church ; Paul’s 
masterly  orations  at  Athens,  and  before  the  Sanhedrim 
and  Felix,  and  his  doctrinal  epistles,  so  full  of  strong  meat ; 
John’s  marvellous  revelation — these  all  come  with  the 
same  force,  and  adaptedness,  and  sweetness,  and  convic- 
tion, in  each  of  the  two  hundred  and  eleven  languages 
into  which  the  divine  Book  has  been  alread}^  translated, 
and  witness  to  us  that,  in  this  respect,  it  is  perfect. 

II.  Again,  take  the  Bible  in  its  adaptedness  to  all  the 
races  and  peoples,  as  well  as  languages,  of  mankind.  And 
in  this  respect,  the  American  Bible  Society  has  taken  its 
full  share  in  putting  the  Bible  to  the  proof,  for  it  has 
scattered  it  among  all  peoples.  Are  you  aware,  my  friends, 
how  cosmopolitan  this  Society  is  ? You  know  of  its  work 


THE  BIBLE  TESTED;  OR, 


at  home,  but  how  many  of  you  know  of  the  extent  of  its 
work  abroad,  in  all  the  corners  of  the  earth  ? Aye,  fathers 
and  brethren — officers  and  managers  of  this  Society — do 
you  yourselves  clearly  realize  how  extensive  is  the  work 
which  you  are  carrying  on?  It  has  fallen  to  my  lot,  during 
the  last  score  of  j'ears,  to  witness  some  of  the  workings  of 
your  Society  in  the  distribution  of  Scriptures  in  widely- 
separated  localities,  among  x)eople  speaking  a score  and  a 
half  of  languages;  and  I delight  to  bear  my  testimony, 
to-night,  to  this  phase  of  the  Society’s  work.  I have, 
myself,  expended  thousands  of  dollars  of  your  funds  in  the 
l)i’inting  and  circulation  of  Scriptures  in  five  of  the  chief 
languages  of  India. 

I have  seen  your  Bibles  read  and  loved  in  the  cities  and 
villages  and  plains  of  Madras — aye,  in  the  regions  there  so 
recently  decimated  by  famine,  many  a convert  to  oim  Jesus 
has  delighted  to  forget  the  gnawings  of  hunger,  while,  with 
his  dim  eye,  he  read  from  your  Scriptures  of  Him  who 
gives  to  his  children  the  bread  and  the  water  of  life.  I 
have  seen  it  read  with  rapture  all  night  long,  in  the  native 
kingdoms,  by  those  who  had  that  day  for  the  first  time, 
and  through  the  efforts  of  your  Society,  heard  of  and  seen 
the  word  of  God. 

I have  seen  it  read  and  loved  by  the  Telugus  of  Eajah- 
mundry,  and  Ongole,  and  Cuddapah,  and  Kurnool;  by 
the  Canarese  i)cople  of  Mysore;  by  the  Tamils  of  North 
and  South  Arcot,  and  Salem,  and  Coimbatore;  by  the 
Badagas  of  the  Mountains ; by  the  Kois  of  the  Godavery ; 
and  the  Marathis  of  Bombay. 

The  Copts  of  Egypt  I have  seen  gather  under  the 
shadow  of  the  Tyramids  to  read  from  your  Arabic  Scrip- 
tures the  story  of  Joseph,  and  ]\Ioses,  and  Jesus,  in  their 
long  ago  sojourn  there. 

At  Beersheba,  and  Hebron,  and  IMount  Moriah,  we 
read  again  with  a thrill,  from  your  Scriptures,  the  story  of 
Abraham  and  the  offering  up  of  Isaac. 

In  Jerusalem,  on  jMount  Zion,  we  joined  an  assembly 
made  up  of  the  descendants  of  Ishmael  and  of  Isaac,  of 


THE  BIBLE  IN  INDIA. 


* 


Shorn  and  of  Ham  and  of  Japlieth,  while  from  a transla- 
tion of  the  Bible,  made  at  your  expense,  they  read  the 
oracles  of  God. 

At  Shechem  and  Nazareth  we  found  your  Bibles. 

At  Sidon  the  noble  Christian  congregation  were  read- 
ing from  your  Scriptures  the  prophecy  of  the  destruction 
of  their  city,  and  the  sister  city  Tyre,  and  its  wonderful 
fultillineut. 

At  Beirut  we  found  your  presses  busily  sending  off 
their  «iaily  fruitage  of  leaves  for  the  healing  of  the  nations, 
to  the  150,000,000  who  speak  the  Arabic  tongue. 

On  the  hills  over  Antioch  1,200  Christians  gathered  in 
one  assemblage  to  hear  what  this  Bible  was  doing  in 
India,  and  read  from  your  Bible,  in  the  Armenian  tongue, 
the  story  of  the  formation  of  the  first  foreign  missionary 
society  in  their  ancient  city,  more  than  1,800  years  before. 

In  Smyrna  and  other  cities  of  the  Seven  Apocalyptic 
('hurches  we  found  them  trying  to  learn  from  your  Scrip- 
tures how  to  light  again  on  their  ancient  candlesticks  the 
candles  that  had  long  gone  out. 

I have  seen  the  workings  of  your  Scriptures  in  Italy. 
Rome  and  Florence,  and  3Iilan  and  Bologna,  and  Naples, 
can  not  shut  out  its  light,  and  already  there  once  more  the 
nuu’iiing  star  is  rising. 

In  Calvin’s  Geneva,  your  agent,  M.  Dardier,  told  me 
of  the  wonderful  workings  of  your  Scriptures  in  the 
Cantons  of  craggy  Switzerland  and  the  adjacent  parts  of 
France.  In  the  gay  French  capital  I found  your  Scrip- 
tures pointing  men  to  the  city  of  gold  with  gates  of  pearl. 

Among  the  Esquimaux  and  Nascopies  of  Labrador  I 
found  again  your  Bibles,  and  saw  how  the  gospel  for  the 
tropics  is  the  gospel  for  the  poles. 

In  the  coloured  churches  of  North  and  South  Carolina, 
and  Georgia  and  Alabama  and  Louisiana,  I have  seen 
devout  Africans  poring  over  the  pages  of  your  Bibles,  and 
have  realized  that  neither  race  nor  colour  need  diminish 
aught,  nor  add  unto  the  perfect  teachings  of  God’s  law. 

The  Russian  soldier  stirs  with  his  bayonet  the  camp- 


8 


THE  BIBLE  TESTED;  OB, 


fire  to-night,  that  by  its  light  he  may  read  from  Scrip- 
tures you  have  given  him  that  which  will  nerve  him  for 
the  morrow’s  struggle  in  behalf  of,  as  he  believes,  his 
oppressed  fellow  Christians. 

The  South  American  republics  and  kingdoms  are  look- 
ing in  its  pages,  as  scattered  by  your  agents,  to  find  what 
it  is  that  has  raised  America  and  England  so  far  above 
them. 

The  scattered  Islands  of  the  Seas  are  learning  from  it 
that  though  scattered  and  separated  they  belong  to  the 
same  fold,  with  the  same  Shepherd,  as  we  do.  “ The  isles 
are  waiting  for  His  law.” 

In  Jai>an  your  Scriptures  teach  them  that  God  rested 
on  and  hallowed  one  day  in  seven;  and  already  has  the 
Christian  Sabbath  displaced  and  replaced  their  multitudi- 
nous and  variable  feast  days  and  holy  days,  and  its  thou- 
sand Christians  are  now,  on  their  bended  knees,  thanking 
that  God  who  through  its  pages  issued  in  that  land  of 
darkness  the  fiat,  “ Let  there  be  light.” 

The  land  of  Sinim,  slumbering  through  ages,  is  hear- 
ing now,  through  your  instrumentality,  and  obeying  the 
divine  mandate,  “Awake,  thou  that  sleepest,  and  arise 
from  the  dead,  and  Christ  shall  give  thee  light.” 

Show  me,  if  you  can,  the  race -or  people  where  the 
Bibles  issued  by  this  Society  have  not  to-day  aroused  the 
conscience,  quickened  the  love,  stimulated  the  zeal,  dis- 
pelled the  doubt,  comforted  the  mourning,  cheered  the 
dying,  among  the  scattered  sons  of  the  first  and  of  the 
seeond  Adam. 

Since  I first  went  to  India,  this  Society  has  expended 
more  than  one  and  a quarter  millions  of  dollars  in  gold,  in 
giving  the  Jiible  to  the  races  of  the  earth  outside  of  our 
own  country.  It  is  because  of  this  cosmopolitan  work  that 
I,  a foreign  missionary,  every  fibre  of  whose  existence  is 
wrought  up  in  the  missionary  work,  stand  uj)  on  every 
possible  occasion  to  advocate  the  claims  of  tl)is  Society  on 
the  blood-bought  throng  of  Christ’s  sons  and  daughters. 
I would  not,  if  1 could,  turn  all  the  stnvams  of  benevo- 


rilE  BIBLE  IN  INDIA. 


y 


lence  into  the  treasuries  of  our  foreign  missionary  societies 
— even  of  my  own  board.  The  liible  must  be  translated, 
and  printed,  and  scattered  everywhere,  or  no  missionary 
work  could  be  done.  X missionary  without  the  Bible ! 
{IS  well  try  to  cook  without  fire  or  heat ; as  well  try 
to  sail  a ship  without  w{iter;  as  well  try  to  propel  {i 
stt*amer  without  steam;  {is  well  try  to  breathe  without 
{lir.  If  the  printing  and  benevolent  distribution  of  the 
Bible  ce{ise  while  yet  the  mitious  are  arrayed  in  hostility 
to  Christ,  then  let  it  be  announced  to  the  world  that  the 
soldiers  of  Christ’s  kingdom  have  laid  down  their  arms. 
Let  it  ce{ise,  and  all  the  powers  of  darkness  will  rise  and 
claim  the  victory  {is  nearly  won.  Aye,  the  very  imps  of 
hell  will  hold  a jubilee,  for  it  is  darkness  tluit  they  love, 
and  the  Bible  gives  light. 

III.  But  again,  hike  the  Bible  as  an  engine  devised  for 
the  performance  of  {i  certain  work,  and  test  it  well  and 
.see  whether  it  does  that  work  or  no.  The  Bible  contains 
a plan  devised  for  the  redemption  and  elevation  of  man- 
kind. T{ike  the  Bible,  then,  as  an  engine  thus  devised  for 
the  performance  of  a certain  work,  and  test  it  well  and 
see  whether  it  does  that  work  or  no.  And  it  is  to  this 
view  of  the  subject  that  I particularly  ask  your  attention 
this  evening. 

Is  this  old  Bible,  given  centuries  ago  among  the 
Jewish  people,  noiv  calculated  to  do  the  work  for  which 
it  w{is  designed  ? or,  in  this  day  of  progress  and  of  the 
intermingling  of  nations,  do  we  find  it  antiquated,  and 
its  day  of  adaptedness  and  usefulness  passed  away  ? This 
is,  emphatically,  an  age  not  alone  of  changes,  but  of 
improvements.  Fast  mail-trains  and  the  telegraph  have 
taken  the  place  of  the  old  mounted  mail-carrier,  with  his 
mail-bags  thrown  over  the  horse  upon  which  he  rode.  The 
four  and  six  horse  stage-coach  has  given  way  to  palace 
cars.  The  quiet  stitching  of  the  seamstress  is  replaced  by 
the  hum  of  the  sewing  machine.  There  is  scarcely  a piece 
of  machinery,  of  any  kind,  now  in  use  that  was  used  even 


10 


THE  BIBLE  TESTED;  OB, 


by  our  grandfathers,  books,  new  systems  of  sciences, 

new  methods  in  the  arts — all,  all  is  new.  Have  we  made 
a mistake,  then,  in  holding  on  to  our  “old  Bible”  too 
long  ? If  so,  let  ns  acknowledge  it  like  men  and  try  to 
replace  it  with  something  better;  but  first  let  us  put  it  to 
the  lU’oof  and  see. 

Xow,  in  testing  a machine  or  engine  it  is  necessary  to 
try  it  in  all  the  different  circumstances  in  which  it  is  to  be 
employed,  especially'  in  the  worst.  For  example : when  I 
was  in  India,  during  the  war  in  America,  the  government 
of  India  sought  to  introduce  the  best  machinery  for 
ginning,  and  spinning,  and  weaving  the  cotton  growing 
there.  A proclamation  was  issued,  and  published  in  every 
country  where  machinery  was  made,  offering  a princely 
premium  for  that  machinery  that  should  best  do  the  work. 
And  when,  after  near  a year  for  preparation,  tbe  machinery 
was  gathered  from  the  foiir  quarters  on  the  banks  of  the 
sacred  Ganges,  when  the  viceroy  and  his  council  and  the 
judges  had  assembled  to  test  it,  it  was  tried  not  alone 
with  the  cotton  grown  there  on  the  banks  of  the  Ganges, 
but  cotton  was  brought  from  the  base  of  the  Himalaya 
Mountains,  and  from  the  plains  of  Tinnevelly,  near  Cape 
Comorin,  from  the  hill  country  of  Berar,  and  from  the 
})lains  of  Bellary,  and  the  country  about  Bombay;  and  the 
machinery  that  best  did  the  work  in  all,  the  long  staple 
and  the  short,  the  coarse  and  the  fine,  it  was  that  that 
won  the  prize,  and  that  is  now  doing  the  work  in  India. 
So  if  an  ocean  steamer  be  launched,  it  must  be  tried  not 
alone  on  the  smooth  waters  of  the  bay  or  river  on  whose 
banks  it  was  constructed,  for  until  it  has  crossed  the 
ocean,  breasting  the  mountain  billows  in  a storm,  no  one 
can  tell  whether  after  all  it  be  a safe  vehicle  for  human 
life.  So  with  every  kind  of  machinery — it  must  be  tested 
in  the  worst  circumstances  in  which  it  will  be  called  to  act. 

For  the  last  score  of  years  I have  been  engaged  in 
putting  the  Bible  to  just  such  a test,  and  that  in  the 
most  unju’opitious  circumstances. 

India  is  Satan’s  stronghold.  Hinduism,  with  its  hand- 


THE  BIBLE  IN  INDIA. 


11 


maid  caste,  weaves  iron  fetters  around  its  votaries.  With 
much  of  truth  in  its  scriptures,  the  V4das,  it  has  degen- 
erated into  the  worst  of  polytheism  and  idolatry  ; with  its 
defective  view  of  God  and  man,  it  luis  had  no  couser v- 
atiug,  elevating  iutlneuce  over  its  votaries.  The  Hindus 
are  at  ouce  a very  religious,  and  a grossly  immoral  peo- 
ple. lutelligeut,  sharp,  quick-witted,  immutable  in  their 
nature,  wedded  to  their  ancient  system,  which  is  a splen- 
did one  though  false,  the  Brahmiuists  are  the  most  able 
and  determined  adversaries  of  what  they  term  the  “ new 
religion.”  If  the  Bible  will  work  in  India,  then  we  may 
safely  conclude  that  it  will  work  anywhere.  How,  then, 
does  it  work  in  India?  Let  us  test  it  in  various  ways 
and  see. 

And  first:  Docs  this  ^^old  Bible, given  so  many  centuries 
ago  among  the  Jews,  describe  the  human  heart  of  to-day,  and 
the  condition  of  man  in  different  lands  ? or  is  it  antiquated 
and  defective  in  this  respect? 

On  a certain  occasion,  some  fourteen  years  ago,  I went 
into  a native  city  in  India,  where  the  name  of  Jesus  had 
never  been  heard,  there  for  the  first  time  to  show  them 
and  give  them  these  Scriptures,  and  to  preach  to  them  of 
Christ  and  his  salvation.  As  an  introduction,  when  we 
had  assembled  an  audience  in  the  street,  I asked  my  native 
assistant  to  read  the  first  chapter  of  Romans — the  chapter 
a part  of  which  has  been  read  in  your  hearing  to-night ; 
that  chapter  which  those  who  call  themselves  liberal- 
minded  tell  us  is  too  black  to  be  true;  that  chapter  that 
describes  the  heart  of  man  wandering  away  from  God  and 
into  sin,  and  conceiving  vile  conceptions  of  God,  and  then 
wandering  away  farther,  until  at  last,  “ though  they  know 
the  judgments  of  God,  that  they  which  do  such  things  are 
worthy  of  death,  not  only  do  the  same,  but  have  pleasure 
in  them  that  do  them the  chapter  which  many  tell  us  is 
a libel  upon  human  nature.  That  chapter  was  read.  The 
most  intelligent  man  in  the  audience,  a Brahmin,  stepped 
forward  and  said  to  me,  “ Sir,  that  chapter  must  have 
been  written  for  us  Hindus.  It  describes  tis  exactly.^  The 


12 


THE  BIBLE  TESTED;  OR, 


photograph  was  recognized.  It  had  been  taken  centuries 
before,  and  among  a Jewish  people;  but  the  artist  was 
divine,  and  the  heart  that  was  photographed  was  that,  not 
of  a but  of  a man. 

On  another  occasion  I went  into  another  city,  there 
also  for  the  first  time  to  proclaim  Christ  as  the  way  of  life. 
As  we  entered  the  native  town  and  passed  up  the  main 
street,  I noticed  a small  Hindu  temple,  built  upon  the  side 
of  the  busiest  street,  with  its  doors  oi)eu  and  the  idols  in  at 
the  farther  end,  so  that  passers-by  could  worship  as  they 
went.  At  the  side  of  the  door  sat  the  Brahmin  priest  of 
the  temple  on  a pedestal,  unclad  down  to  the  waist — that 
he  might  receive  the  homage,  the  semi-divine  worship 
which  the  peojile  were  wont  to  render  him — with  a platter 
by  his  side  to  receive  their  offerings  as  they  went  in  and 
out  of  the  street  to  their  business  or  their  work.  I noticed 
it  and  passed  on.  Going  up  the  main  street,  and  looking 
here  and  there  and  finding  no  better  place,  we  came  back 
to  this  temple ; and  as  I politely  asked  permission  of  the 
Brahmin  to  address  an  audience  from  the  steps  of  the 
temple,  he  as  politely  gave  his  permission;  and  singing  a 
song  to  bring  the  people  together,  we  soon  had  the  street 
packed  with  those  who  wondered  what  we  had  come  for, 
and  I preached  to  them.  I took  for  my  theme  “ the  char- 
acter of  any  being  whom  the  intelligent  mind  of  man 
in  any  land  would  be  willing  to  call  God ;”  and  from  the 
necessities  of  our  natures,  I attempted  to  show  them  that 
• in  order  to  call  any  being  God,  we  must  believe  him  to  be 
stronger  than  we  and  stronger  than  any  powers  that  might 
be  arrayed  against  us;  that  he  must  be  omnipotent,  or 
we  could  not  trust  him ; that  he  must  be  wiser  than  we 
and  wiser  than  any  intelligences  that  might  be  combined 
against  us;  that  he  must  be  omniscient;  that  he  must  be 
able,  in  all  parts  of  his  dominion,  at  the  same  time,  to  l)e 
and  to  notice  all  passing  events ; that  he  must  be  omni- 
present; that  he  must  be  a God  of  love,  a God  of  justice, 
and  so  on.  I had  painted  to  them  the  character  and  attri- 
butes of  God  as  we  find  them  given  in  our  Bible — not 


THE  BIBLE  IN  INDIA. 


13 


telling'  them  where  I found  the  picture,  but  drawing  this 
characterization  of  God  from  the  necessities  of  the  soul 
of  man.  1Mie  intelligent  men  in  the  audience  at  once 
acknowledged  the  picture  to  be  a correct  one,  as  I went  on 
from  point  to  i)oint,  and  admitted  what  I said  to  be  true. 
At  last,  completing  the  picture,  1 .said  to  them,  “Now, 
who  is  God,  and  where  is  God?”  The  Brahmin  prie.st  sit- 
ting there  on  his  pedestal,  seeing  how  intently  the  audi- 
ence of  his  worshippers  were  listening  to  my  description  of 
God,  so  ditfereut  from  that  enshrinetl  in  the  temple  at  my 
side,  and  seeing  at  a glance,  with  his  keen  mind,  that  if  this 
description  of  God  was  accepted  as  true  his  employment 
was  gone,  seeking  to  create  a diversion,  straightened  him- 
self up,  and  with  his  linger  drawing  a line  around  his 
stomach,  he  said,  “ Sir,  this  is  my  God;  when  this  is  full,  my 
God  is  pro[»itions ; when  this  is  empty,  my  God  is  angry. 
Only  give  mo  enough  to  eat  and  drink,  and  that  is  all  the 
God  I want.”  Turning  to  this  .same  old  Book,  I gave  him 
that  scathing  deunnciatiou  of  I’anl  of  those  “ whose  God 
is  their  belly,  whose  glory  is  in  their  shame,  and  whose  end 
is  destruction.”  And  then  turning  again  to  the  audience 
and  remiiuling  them  of  the  pure  and  holy  character  that 
1 had  described,  I told  them  that  “ this  poor,  miserable 
wretch  here  is  w illing  to  call  his  belly  his  God.”  Amid  the 
sneers  and  scorn  of  his  own  worshippers,  he  sprang  from 
his  pedestal,  slank  around  the  corner  of  the  temple,  and 
vanished  down  a side  street.  And  oh,  how"  the  audience 
listened  wdiile  I described  to  them  Him  in  Avhom  all  the 
fullness  of  this  Godhead  was  manifested  bodily,  even  Jesus 
of  Nazareth,  the  Saviour  of  all  of  them,  in  all  the  world, 
that  will  believe  in  him  ! 

On  another  occasion  I was  reading  from  the  seventh 
chapter  of  Romans  that  declaration  of  Paul  of  the  power 
of  sin  over  us,  Avhere  he  says,  “ When  I w"ould  do  good, 
evil  is  present  with  me,  and  the  good  which  I would  I do 
not,  but  the  evil  which  I w ould  not  that  I do.”  As  I read 
it  the  most  intelligent  man  in  my  audience  spoke  up,  say- 
ing, “ That  is  it ! that  is  it ! That  is  exactly  what  is  the 


14 


THE  BIBLE  TESTED;  OR, 


matter  with  us  Hindus.  Xow,  does  your  Book  tell  us  how 
we  can  get  rid  of  that  evil  disposition,  and  do  the  good 
we  would  and  avoid  doing  the  evil  that  we  would  not  f ” 
How  gladly,  from  this  same  old  book,  did  I point  them 
to  Him  who  can  create  a new  heart  and  renew  a right 
spirit  within  us ; who  can  give  us  not  only  the  desire,  but 
the  power  to  do  good : “ For  I can  do  all  things  through 
Christ  who  strengtheneth  me.” 

On  another  occasion  and  in  a different  city  I read  the 
description  in  the  forty-fourth  chapter  of  Isaiah,  of  the 
making  and  worshipping  of  images.  When  I had  comple- 
ted the  reading,  a sharp  man  in  the  audience,  a Brahmin, 
stepped  out  and  said,  “Now,  sir,  we  have  caught  you. 
You  told  us  that  this  was  an  old  book,  given  long  ago  in 
another  part  of  the  world  to  tell  us  how  we  might  find 
God,  and,  how-  worshipping  him  we  might  attain  to  peace 
with  him ; but,  sir,  that  that  you  have  just  read  you  have 
written  since  you  came  here  and  saw  how  we  Hindus 
managed  it.”  The  photograph  once  more  was  recognized. 

But  again,  can  this  Book  he  understood  hy  high  and 
low,  rich  and  poor,  learned  and  ignorant  f Can  this  Bible 
that  was  given  to  a people  prepared  through  generations 
by  a special  training,  and  standing  on  a verj'  different 
moral  plane  from  the  Plindus  of  Hie  present  day — this 
Book  with  its  pure  and  holy  doctrines,  its  strange,  though 
beautiful  and  sinijile  plan  of  salvation — can  it  be  under- 
stood by  those  Hindus  who  have  sunken  through  centu- 
ries of  moral  pollution — can  it  be  understood  so  as  to  aftect 
their  lives  and  their  character  ? 

Come  with  me  to  a little  town  150  miles  to  the  north- 
west of  my  station  at  Mudnapilly,  in  India.  Some  fifteen 
years  ago  there  lived  there  a Hindu,  au  unlettered  man — 
he  could  simply  read  and  write,  and  that  was  all — who 
felt  the  burden  of  sin  and  desired  relief.  He  had  tried  all 
that  his  system  taught  him,  and  still  found  no  jieace  of 
conscience.  There  came  the  time  of  the  annual  drawing 
of  the  idol  car  (usually  called  the  car  of  .Juggernaut),  in 
a city  .some  thirty  miles  away,  and  this  man,  mourning 


THE  BIBLE  IN  INDIA. 


15 


over  liis  sin,  wcnit  there,  for  they  told  liiin  if  he  would 
engage  in  the  ceremonies  there  and  join  in  the  drawing 
of  the  car  the  burden  of  sin  would  be  gone  and  he  could 
tind  relief.  He  went  there.  The  tirst  day  passed,  and  the 
second  day  of  the  festivities  was  nearly  through.  That 
night  it  would  close,  and  he  felt  yet  the  burden  of  sin. 
He  knew  that  he  had  not  got  relief.  He  saw  standing  in 
the  crowd  a man  with  a book,  wrapped  in  his  garments ; 
he  saw’  the  end  sticking  out,  and  asked,  “ Stranger,  wdiat 
book  is  that  you  have  got  there  ? ” Said  he,  “ Thej’  call  it 
the  Kotta  Xibandana^^  (the  New  Testament).  “What  is 
that?”  “Why,  they  say  it  is  the  Satti/a  Vf  da,"  {the  True 
Veda,  as  w’e  term  the  Bible  iu  India,  iu  distinction  from 
their  Vedas  which  w’C  do  not  acknowledge  as  true). 
“Have  you  read  it?”  “No,  1 have  not.”  “What  does 
it  tell  about,  anyhow’  ? ” “ Why,  they  say  that  it  tells  us 

how  to  get  rid  of  sin.”  “Does  it;  will  you  .sell  it?” 
“Yes.”  “ How  much  will  you  take  for  it?”  “ Well,  give 
me  half  a rupee,”  (tw’cnty-five  cents).  “ All  right.”  He 
took  out  the  money  and  gave  it  to  the  man  and  took  the 
book,  wrai)ped  it  up,  put  it  under  his  arm  and  went  away- 
When  he  got  home  he  opened  it  at  the  first  chapter  of 
Matthew,  and  stumbled  and  tumbled  <lowu  over  those 
jaw-breaking  names  in  the  genealogy  of  Christ,  worse  for 
a Hindu  than  they  are  for  us  to  pronounce.  He  thought 
that  after  all  there  was  not  going  to  be  anything  in  the 
book  that  he  could  understand,  and  that  he  had  lost  his 
money ; but  he  got  through  at  last,  and  came  to  the  story 
of  the  miraculous  birth  of  the  child  Jesus;  that  he  could 
understand.  He  read  on,  and  read  the  story  of  his  wonder- 
ful childhood,  and  his  marvellous  life,  his  miraculous 
deeds,  and  the  messages  of  mercy  that  he  gave  to  all 
around  him;  and  then,  when  he  was  beginning  to  think 
that  he  must  be  the  one  that  should  redeem  all  lauds,  he 
came  to  the  story  where  he  was  killed  and  nailed  upon  a 
cross.  Oh,  it  was  all  up  then,  he  thought;  but  he  read 
on  amid  his  tears ; he  read  of  his  lying  in  the  grave,  and 
then  of  that  wonderful  coming  forth  again  from  the  grave. 


16 


THE  BIBLE  TESTED;  OR, 


and  of  the  scene  when  he  appeared  to  his  disciples,  and 
with  astonishment  he  read  how  on  Mount  Olivet,  parting 
the  clouds,  he  ascended  to  heaven ; and  then  he  turned 
over  and  read  again  in  the  next  Evangelist,  in  fewer  words, 
the  story  of  the  same  life.  Then  he  read  on  in  a third 
Evangelist  that  same  story,  that  is  never  repeated  too 
often — Luke’s  graphic  life-picture  of  Christ  on  earth.  Then 
he  came  to  the  fourth  Evangelist,  and  there  he  read  of  the 
divine  sonship  of  that  Jesus  of  Nazareth,  the  Word  that 
became  flesh  and  dwelt  among  us ; and  he  learned  there 
of  our  connection  with  Christ,  the  branch  with  the  vine, 
how  he  would  remain  with  us ; then  he  read  the  story  of 
the  founding  of  the  early  Christian  church.  That  gave 
him  more  light.  He  read  the  doctrinal  epistles,  and  feel- 
ing the  burden  of  sin  as  he  did,  he  did  not  stumble  over 
those  hard  doctrines  as  some  on  this  side  of  the  water  do. 
He  read  that  story,  that  Avonderful  revelation  of  the  New 
Jerusalem  comiug  down  fi’om  heaven  out  of  God,  the 
home  of  all  those  that  believe  in  Jesus,  when  they  shall 
arise  and  meet  him. 

Ah,  that  Avas  the  book  for  him.  He  read  in  the  book 
that  they  Avere  not  to  forget  the  assembling  of  themselves 
together  on  the  flrst  day  of  the  Aveek,  as  the  manner  of 
some  is — of  some  perhaps  in  this  country  too — and  on  the 
first  day  of  their  week,  Avhich,  singularly,  synchronizes 
with  our  Christian  Sabbath,  he  gathered  his  neighbours 
iu  his  owu  house  to  hoar  him  read  from  “ the  wonderful 
Book.”  He  taught  his  Avife  to  read,  a strange  thing  for 
a Hindu  to  do,  as  they  never  used  to  teach  their  Avomen 
to  read;  but  he  taught  her  to  read  in  order  that  she  might 
be  able  to  read  from  “the  Book.”  He  learned  in  that, 
“When  ye  pray  thus  shall  ye  say,  ‘Our  Father  Avhich 
art  in  heaven ; ’ ” and  as  they  assembled  thus  otj  each  Sab- 
bath day  they  joined,  after  reading  the  word,  in  repeating 
that  ])rayer.  Some  years  ]>assed  by  and  the  man  died. 
When  he  died  he  tohl  his  Avife  that  they  must  not  burn 
his  body  as  the  Hindus  are  Avont  to  do,  but  bury  it, 
for  Christ  Avas  buried;  that  they  must  not  perform  any 


TIIK  BIBLE  IN  fNDIA. 


IT 


heathen  ceremony  over  his  g'rave,  but  read  from  “ the 
liook”  and  re[)eat  “the  prayer,”  and  leave  him  tliere  with 
( iod ; for  as  Christ  arose  from  the  <lead  so  would  he  some 
da}'  arise  and  meet  that  Christ  in  heaven.  His  wife  kept 
up  the  reiKliug,  on  the  lirst  day  of  the  week,  to  the  people 
from  this  book.  Years  more  passed  by.  At  last  there 
came  two  missionaries  into  a villai^e  some  lifteeu  miles 
from  this  place.  They  were  preachin^^  there  to  the  people, 
as  they  sui)posed  for  the  lirst  time  that  they  had  heard  of 
Christ  and  his  salvation,  when  two  men  that  happened  to 
be  there  in  the  market-place  stepped  forward  and  said, 
“ Why,  sirs,  what  you  say  is  exactly  what  the  man  of 
‘ the  Book  ’ down  at  our  village  used  to  teach.”  They 
asked  about  it  and  learuetl  the  story.  They  went  down 
there  and  found  to  all  intents  and  purposes  a little  church 
of  Jesus  Christ  established.  It  was  the  Book  that  had 
done  it.  They  had  not  received  baptism  nor  the  Lord’s 
Supper  to  be  sure,  but  they  had  that  life  iu  their  hearts 
that  wiis  the  baptism  of  the  Holy  Ghost.  The  Book  had 
shown  that  it  could  be  understood  and  could  produce  its 
eftect. 

That  was  among  the  lowly;  how  among  the  higher 
classes  that  have  the  Yedas,  with  their  purer  teachings, 
the  Brahmins  of  India?  How  does  this  Bible  work  among 
them  ? Is  it  adapted  to  meet  their  felt  wants  f 

Some  fifteen  years  ago  I took  a long  journey  of  five 
months  through  a native  kingdom  that  had  never  before 
been  traversed,  so  far  as  I could  learn,  by  any  missionary, 
and  where  the  Scriptures  had  never  been  circulated.  I 
took  the  journey,  an  exploring  and  Bible  distributing 
journey,  at  the  expense  of  the  American  Bible  Society. 
We  were  warned  that  we  should  meet  with  dangers  and 
difficulties.  We  did  meet  with  them  abundantly;  but  on 
the  way  the  Master  gave  us  such  cheering  signs  of  his  pres- 
ence that  we  were  willing  to  go  on.  We  had  been  warned 
not  to  go  because  of  the  danger,  and  were  told  that  we 
would  never  all  of  us  get  home  alive ; but  I read  in  my 
commission,  “ Go  ye  into  all  the  world  and  preach  the 


18 


THE  BIBLE  TESTED;  OR, 


gospel  to  every  creature.”  It  did  not  say,  “except  Hyder- 
abad;” and  believing  my  commission  was  to  be  carried 
out  I went,  taking-  with  me  four  native  assistants.  I well 
remember  one  Saturday  when  we  had  attempted  to  cross 
a wide  river  in  basket-boats,  and  had  been  swept  down 
the  stream  three  miles  in  crossing.  At  last  we  had  gained 
the  shore,  but  we  had  been  delayed  so  long  that  it  was 
midnight,  Saturday  night,  before  we  reached  the  town 
where  we  wished  to  spend  the  night.  Camping  outside  the 
city  we  spent  the  rest  of  the  night.  Sabbath  morning  in 
our  camp  we  held  our  prayer  meetiug,  myself  and  four  na- 
tive preachers  and  attendants,  reading  from  the  word  and 
talking  over  the  power  and  goodness  of  Christ ; and  in  the 
afternoon  we  thought  that  though  we  had  intended  to  rest 
that  Sabbath  we  must  go  out  to  the  bazaar  and  tell  the 
people  of  this  divine  word.  We  went.  A large  audience 
assembled  around  us.  We  preached  to  them  of  Christ 
and  his  salvation.  We  distributed  Scriptures  and  tracts 
among  them,  and  came  back  before  sundown  to  our  camp, 
intendiug  to  lie  down  to  rest  very  early,  as  we  must  start 
on  our  journey  at  half-past  four  the  next  morning,  as 
was  our  wont ; when  ere  the  sun  had  set  a group  of  men 
came  out  of  the  town  with  books  in  their  hands  saying  to 
us,  “ Sirs,  this  is  such  wonderful  news  that  you  have  told 
us.  Won’t  you  please  come  back  and  talk  to  us  some 
more  about  it.  The  idea  of  a way  of  getting  rid  of  sin 
without  ourselves,  by  the  help  of  a Divine  Eedeemer ! It 
is  wonderful.  Please  come  back  and  talk  to  us  some  more 
about  it.”  AVe  went  back.  The  market-place  wgs  cov- 
ered with  India  rugs  and  Persian  rugs,  and  with  pillows 
for  us  to  sit  upon,  for  they  said  they  wanted  us  to  talk 
longer  than  we  could  stand  to  talk.  There  were  stakes 
driven  in  the  ground-door,  with  little  native  lamps  on 
them  to  light  when  it  should  grow  dark,  for  they  said  they 
wanted  us  to  talk  long  after  it  was  dark.  They  kept  us 
reading  and  talking  until  ten  o’clock  at  night,  and  would 
not  let  us  go.  When  at  last  we  told  them  that  they  must 
allow  us  to  rest,  for  we  were  very  weary  and  had  to  start 


THE  BIBLE  IN  INDIA. 


!!♦ 

early  in  the  inoniin*!^,  they  allowed  us  to  leave  and  we 
went  and  laid  dowu  to  rest. 

At  half-i)ast  tour  in  the  morning  we  had  arisen  ; our 
carts  were  packed  and  we  were  just  starting',  when  out 
came  a deputation  from  the  town  with  hooks  iu  their  hands, 
with  the  leaves  turned  down  here  and  there;  for  they 
said  they  had  been  reading  the  hooks  all  ui»ht  long,  for 
they  were  sure  they  would  never  have  another  chance  to 
.ask  (piestions  about  them;  and  it  was  such  strange  news, 
and  so  good  if  true,  they  wanted  to  he  sure  that  they 
understood  all  about  it,  and  they  had  come  to  ask  some 
(piestious  before  I started.  I said  to  my  native  assistants, 
“ You  go  on.  Three  miles  north  of  here,  I understand,  is 
the  town  of  Pebcri.  As  you  are  walking  and  I liav’c  a 
horse,  you  go  on,  and  1 will  .stop  and  answer  these  (pies- 
tious, and  then  canter  on  as  rapidly  as  I can  and  over- 
take you.  If  you  get  there  before  I do,  go  into  the  town 
and  otfer  the  Scriptures  and  tracts  for  sale.”  We  could  not 
give  them  away  there.  There  was  a reason  for  it  that  I 
cannot  stop  here  to  exidain.  “ You  go  on,  and  I will  join 
you  as  soon  as  I can.”  They  went  on ; I stopped  and 
answered  the  (piestious.  They  asked  a great  many  earnest 
(piestious.  When  I attempted  to  mount  my  horse,  they  put 
their  hands  on  my  shoulder  and  said,  “ No,  sir — you  cannot 
go  until  you  answer  some  more  questions.”  I answered  a 
few  more  and  tried  to  spring  on  my  horse  again  and  go  on, 
as  I did  not  like  to  leave  my  native  assistants  to  encounter 
danger  alone,  if  there  were  danger,  and  wished  to  hasten 
on.  But  they  said,  “No,  sir;  answer  some  more  questions ; 
don’t  go  yet.”  I stayed  three-ipiarters  of  an  hour  and 
then  went  forward  to  join  my  assistants.  I cantered  on  as 
rapidly  as  I could,  and  as  I approached  the  town  of  Peberi, 
which  was  a walled  town  with  gates,  I saw  my  native 
assistants  coming  away  from  the  town  accompanied  by 
some  natives.  Speaking  iu  the  Tamil  language,  which 
was  not  understood  by  the  people  there,  I said  to  them, 
“Would  not  they  let  you  go  into  the  town?  would  not 
they  let  you  preach  ? could  you  not  dispose  of  any  books  ?’’ 


20 


THE  BIBLE  TESTED;  OR, 


“ Yes,  sir,”  said  they,  “ we  preached  to  a most  intensely- 
interested  audience,  and  when  we  offered  our  books  and 
tracts  for  sale  they  bought  every  one  of  them ; we  haven’t 
a single  one  left;  they  paid  for  them  all  and  wanted 
more.  We  told  them  you  had  your  saddlebags  full  of 
books,  and  they  have  come  out  here  to  meet  you  and  buy 
more  books.” 

Turning  to  them,  I said  (in  their  own  language,  the 
Telugu),  “Brothers,  I have  plenty  of  books — you  shall 
have  all  you  want.  But  first  let  us  go  back  into  the  town, 
and  I will  tell  you  some  more  about  this  wonderful  news.” 
We  went  back  into  the  town.  I saw  that  they  were  the 
chief  men  of  the  place.  There  in  the  square  before  the 
gate  was  the  platform  for  the  elders  of  the  city  to  sit  upon 
and  administer  the  affairs  of  the  town,  as  in  ancient  Jewish 
times.  They  escorted  me  to  that  platform  and  wished  me 
to  sit  with  them.  As  I preferred  to  stand  and  talk,  so  that 
I could  be  heard  by  a larger  audience,  they  said  they 
would  stand  too,  for  they  did  not  wish  to  sit  while  their 
teacher  was  standing — it  would  not  be  ])olite.  Standing 
there,  I proclaimed  to  them  again  the  gospel  of  eternal  life 
through  Jesus  Christ.  When  I had  done  speaking,  1 took 
my  saddlebags  from  the  horse  and  ottered  them  the  books, 
and  at  once  there  was  a rush  for  the  books.  I gave  out 
book  after  book,  and  still  they  pressed  upon  me  until  every 
book  was  gone,  and  then  there  were  forty  hands  held  out, 
over  the  shoulders  of  those  before  them,  with  money  in 
tliem ; and  they  said,  “ Here,  sir,  take  what  money  you 
l)lease,  only  give  me  a book  that  tolls  about  the  Divine 
Father  that  you  have  told  us  about.” — “ Give  me  a book 
that  tells  about  Jesus  Christ  and  his  salvation.” — “ Give 
me  a book  that  tells  about  heaven  and  how  I can  get 
there.” — “ Take  what  money  you  please,  only  do  give  me  a 
book.”  I tohl  them,  “ Brothers,  I am  very  sorry  1 did  not 
know  there  were  so  many  educated  men  here,  and  that  so 
many  books  would  be  wanted.  1 have  a cart-load  of  books 
that  have  gone  on  in  advance,  which  1 might  have  stopped 
for  you  to  buy  all  you  want.”  They  said,  “ How  far  has 


THE  BIBLE  IN  INDIA. 


21 


the  cart  gone!”  Jiulo^in^  from  the  time,  I said  that  it 
nui-st  have  ^?ot  about  three  miles.  They  said,  “If  we 
on  and  overtake  the  cart,  will  you  stop  it  and  let  us  buy 
the  books?”  “ Certainly,”  said  I.  They  at  once  appointed 
a deputation  to  ^o  on  and  buy  the  books.  Five  wen* 
appointed.  As  1 had  been  talkinjj:,  I particularly  noticed 
two  who  stood  upon  the  platform,  almost  in  front  of  me — 
a Brahmin  with  vouerable  white  hair  and  noble  brow,  a 
very  courteous  ami  intelligent  gentleman,  and  his  son,  ;is 
1 judged  from  his  countenance,  standing  at  his  side.  They 
had  interrupted  me  now  and  then,  as  1 was  preaching,  say- 
ing to  me,  “Wait  a moment,  sir;  won’t  you  explain  that 
point  a little  further?  this  is  such  strange  news,  we  want 
to  be  sure  that  we  get  it  exactly  right.”  I would  explain 
the  point  and  then  go  on,  and  soon  they  would  stop  me 
again,  asking  intelligent  questions,  anxious  to  understand 
ev^erything  I said.  They  were  among  the  deputation  that 
were  appointed  to  go  forward.  The  people  put  money  in 
their  hands,  each  one  telling  them,  “ Don’t  you  forget  to 
buy  me  a book.” — “ Buj'  me  a book  that  tells  of  Jesus  and 
his  love.” — “ Buy  me  one  of  those  books  that  tell  about 
the  Creator,  the  Divine  Father  that  loves  us.” — “Get  me  a 
book  that  tells  how  I can  get  I’id  of  my  load  of  sin.”  So 
they  commissioned  them  and  sent  them.  AVe  went  out  of 
the  gate  of  the  city  and  turned  into  the  pathway  where  my 
carts  had  gone — native  carts  with  wooden  wheels,  drawn 
by  young  buffaloes. 

AVe  walked  on  for  a time,  they  asking  earnest  questions 
and  I answering  them,  when  they  said,  “ Sir,  we  are  going 
no  faster  than  the  carts  are ; would  you  mind  cantering  on 
to  overtake  the  carts  and  stop  them ; and  then  you  must 
talk  to  us  some  more.”  I put  spurs  to  my  horse  and  rode 
on.  I had  gone  perhaps  a mile  and  a quarter,  and  got 
into  the  thick  jungle  that  intervened  between  that  town 
and  the  next  village,  and  was  passing  up  a little  tortuous 
cart-track  through  the  jungle  when  I heard  the  step  of  a 
powerful  horse  apijroaching  me  from  the  rear.  I had  been 
warned  that  in  just  such  a place  as  that  I would  be  assas- 


22 


THE  BIBLE  TESTED;  OR, 


sinated.  Thinking  it  always  safest  to  face  the  danger,  if 
there  be  danger,  I stopped  my  horse,  turned  around  and 
waited  for  the  approach.  Soon,  around  a bend  in  the  road 
I saw  a powerful  Arab  charger  coming,  with  saddle  and 
bridle  bedecked  with  ornaments  of  silver  and  gold.  Its 
rider  had  a turban  with  gold-lace  trimmings,  and  with  a 
necklace  of  pearls  around  his  neck,  with  a jacket  of  India 
satin  interwoven  with  threads  of  metallic  gold.  He  rode 
rapidly  on,  and  aijparently  was  about  passing  me  when  he 
saw  me,  and  pulling  up  his  horse  almost  on  to  his  haunches, 
he  said,  “Are  you  the  man  that  has  been  in  my  town  this 
morning  with  this  strange  doctrine?”  I said,  “I  have 
been  in  the  town  of  Peberi,  sir.”  We  had  been  told  that 
this  town  was  the  summer  residence  of  a petty  Pajah,  a 
feudatory  of  the  Nizam  of  Hyderabad,  but  that  at  that 
season  of  the  year  the  Eajah  was  at  his  other  capitol.  He 
said  to  me — for  it  was  the  Rajah  himself,  “ I came  in  late 
last  night  from  my  other  capitol.  I supi)ose  the  people  did 
not  know  I was  there.  I got  in  late  last  night  or  early  this 
morning,  and  we  were  not  stirring  when  your  people  came 
so  early.  I suppose  those  were  your  men  that  came  about 
sunrise  with  the  books;  but  some  of  my  courtiers  were 
stirring  and  bought  some  of  the  books  and  brought  them 
to  the  palace,  and  we  were  so  busy  reading  the  books  that 
we  did  not  know  there  was  any  second  gathering  in  the 
streets.  I Avisli  I had  known  it,  I would  have  sent  out  and 
asked  you  to  come  to  the  palace  to  tell  us  the  news  there ; 
but  when  you  had  gone  they  brought  some  larger  books, 
saying  that  the  white  man  himself  had  been  there  and 
given  them  those  books,  and  1 was  so  anxious  to  see  you 
that  I ordered  my  swiftest  horse,  and  I have  outridden  all 
my  courtiers,  as  you  see,  to  overtake  you.  Now,  tell  me 
all  about  it.  Is  it  true  ? Is  there  a Saviour  that  ciiii  .save 
us  from  our  sin?”  We  ro<lo  on  together,  I on  a little 
scraggy  country  pony  that  had  cost  me  thirty  dollars, 
looking  up  to  him  on  his  magnificent  Arab  charger  worth 
a thousand,  and  as  I trotted  along  talking  with  him  I 
could  not  help  thinking  of  Philip  and  the  Eunuch;  and  I 


THE  BIBLE  IN  INDIA 


23 


tried  as  earnestly,  1 believe,  as  I’hilip  did  to  tell  my  cotn- 
[>auiou  of  him  of  whom  Closes  in  the  law  and  the  prophets 
did  speak — even  flesiis  of  Nazareth  the  Saviour  of  all  them 
in  all  the  world  that  would  believe  in  him. 

We  overtook  the  cart.  “ Now,”  .said  he,  “ let  me  have 
a copy  of  every  book  you  have ; I don’t  care  what  you 
ask,  I will  pay  for  them.”  One  box  aft(T  another  was 
opened.  He  took  out  a book  about  the  size  of  a small 
pulpit  liible,  and  .said  he,  “ What  book  is  that  ? ” “ That 

is  the  Holy  Bible,  the  Satya  Veda,  or  True  Veda,  in  the 
Telugu  language” — the  language  in  which  we  were  con- 
versing. “Give  me  that.”  Down  it  went  on  the  ground. 
He  took  up  another,  of  one-third  the  size.  “What  is 
that?”  “That  is  the  New  Testament  in  the  Canarese 
language.”  “Give  me  that ; ” and  down  it  went.  “What 
is  that?” — taking  u[)  another.  “That  is  the  New  Test- 
ament in  the  Hindiustani  language.”  “Give  me  that.” 
“What  is  that?”  “That  is  the  New  T<;stament  in  the 
Tamil  language.”  “(Bve  me  that.”  “What  is  that?” 
“ That  is  the  New  Testament  in  the  Marathi  language.” 
“ But,”  said  I,  “ you  don’t  want  all  those,  for  this  large 
one  contains  the  whole  thing.  These  others  contain  part, 
the  best  part  to  be  sure,  of  the  large  one,  in  the  different 
languages.  But  it  is  the  same  thiug,  verse  for  verse  and 
word  for  word,  only  that  each  is  in  a different  language. 
You  know  the  Telugu  language  be.st.  If  you  take  the 
large  one  in  that  language  you  have  the  whole;”  for  1 
wished  to  save  some  of  these  for  use  further  on,  in  my 
journey.  “ No,”  said  he ; “ if  you  were  to  be  here  so  that 
I could  ask  questions,  that  large  one  would  be  enough  for 
me,  but  you  are  not  going  to  be  here,  so  I shall  have  no 
one  to  ask  questions  of,  and  I will  take  it  and  read  it  in 
the  Telugu  language,  and  I will  perhaps  not  quite  under- 
stand it;  then  I will  take  it  in  the  Canarese  language,  for 
I can  read  that  just  as  well,  and  it  will  be  a little  differ- 
ently expressed,  and  by  comparing  the  two  I will  under- 
stand it;  if  not,  then  1 will  read  it  in  the  Hindustani 
language,  and  comparing  the  three  I will  understand  it 


24 


THE  BIBLE  TESTED;  OR, 


better;  or  in  the  Marathi,  or  Tamil  language,  and  com- 
paring the  four  or  live  I shall  be  able  to  understand  it  all. 
I don’t  care  what  you  ask  for  them,  only  let  me  have  the 
books.  I will  pay  for  them.”  So  he  took  them. 

In  the  mean  time  the  deputation  came  up.  I found 
that  the  Brahmin  whom  I had  noticed  so  particularly  was 
the  prime  minister  of  the  Eajah,  his  general  manager,  or 
Mantri,  as  they  call  it  in  India,  and  the  son  was  being 
educated  to  succeed  him  in  office.  Thej*  all  asked  earnest 
questions,  and  kept  me  answering  question  after  (piestion 
and  explaining  the  books  for  an  hour  and  three-quarters? 
there  in  the  road,  before  they  would  allow  me  to  hitch  on 
my  oxen  and  pursue  my  journey.  When  they  had  bought 
and  paid  for  their  books,  and  at  last  had  consented  that 
I should  pursue  my  journey,  I bade  them  good-bye.  But 
as  we  went  on  om'  way  we  could  not  help  tbinking  of 
them  and  their  earnest  questions,  and  wondering  whether 
the  words  thus  scattered  had  done  any  good.  We  jour- 
neyed on,  however,  and  at  last  after  live  months  we  came 
around  to  our  homes,  stricken  down  by  disease  to  be  sure, 
that  we  had  contracted  in  those  jungles,  but  all  of  us  were 
alive.  We  came  back  to  our  homes,  and  still  Ave  could 
not  forget  those  people.  We  wondered  whether  in  that 
town,  where  they  had  so  gladly  inet  us  and  heard  us 
preach  Christ,  there  would  be  any  fruit  from  the  seed  we 
had  scattered.  Three  years  passed  by — years  of  sickness 
with  me  to  be  sure,  resulting  from  that  journey,  for  I ha<l 
not  recovered  from  it  yet.  We  Avere  still  thinking  of  and 
praying  for  them,  when  the  Lord  allowed  us  to  hear  neAA’s 
from  them.  A chance  traveller  came  that  Avay — not  a 
chance  tra\  eller;  nothing  ever  happens  by  chance.  Cod 
ordered,  for  the  strengthening  of  my  faith,  and  ]>erhaps 
yours  here  to-night,  that  a traveller  should  come  down 
through  that  unfrequented  way,  and  that  he  should  be 
overtaken  by  night  at  that  very  town  of  Pebdri.  He  Avas 
a half-caste,  half  Portuguese  and  half  Hindu.  He  stopped 
in  the  rest-house  built  for  travellers,  by  the  gate  of  the 
city.  In  the  evening  that  very  Mantri,  the  Kajah’s  prime 


THE  BIBLE  IN  INDIA. 


25 


minister,  hearing  that  there  was  a stranger  there  who 
dressed  and  appeared  ditterently  from  the  people  there, 
came  out  to  meet  him,  and  said  he,  “ Stranger,  you  seem 
to  have  come  from  a distance;  do  you  know  anything  of 
the  people  they  call  Christians?”  “ Yes,  I am  one  myself.” 
“Are  you?  I am  glad  of  it.  Stranger,  do  you  know 
anything  about  a white  man  that  came  through  here 
three  years  ago,  in  the  month  of  August,  with  a book 
that  he  called  the  True  Veda,  telling  about  the  Divine 
Redeemer,  that  he  called  Yem  Kristit  ?”  (The  Telugu  for 
Jesus  Christ.)  “ Y'es,  Dr.  Chamberlain  is  the  only  mission- 
ary that  has  ever  been  through  here.  He  came  this  way 
about  three  years  ago.”  “ Do  you  know  him  ? Have  you 
ever  seen  him  ? Is  he  living  now  ? and  will  you  ever  see 
him  again?”  “Yes,  I met  him  years  ago  away  up  north, 
and  in  about  a month  1 shall  pass  within  about  thirty 
or  forty  miles  of  where  he  is  now  living.”  Said  he, 
“If  you  get  as  near  him  as  that,  you  turn  out  of  your  way 
and  tind  him,  for  I want  you  to  carry  him  a message. 
Tell  him  that  from  the  day  he  was  here,  neither  my  son 
nor  I have  ever  worshipped  an  idol.  Tell  him  that  every 
dav  we  read  in  that  New  Testament  that  he  left  with  us, 
and  every  day  we  kneel  and  pray  to  that  Yesu  Kristu  of 
whom  he  taught  us,  and  tell  him  that  through  his  merits 
we  hope  to  meet  him  in  heaven.  Tell  him  the  Rajah  has 
the  Bible  read  every  day  in  his  palace,  and  we  think 
that  he  too  at  heart  is  a believer  in  Jesus.  Tell  him  we 
hope  to  meet  him  by-and-by  when  we  can  tell  him  all 
about  it — saved  because  he  came  here  and  brought  us 
those  Bibles ; but  if  you  go  anywhere  near  him  you  turn 
out  of  your  way  and  tind  him,  and  give  him  this  message 
now,  for  it  will  do  him  good.”  And,  oh,  friends,  it  did  do 
me  good.  When  I heard  that  message  I forgot  the  diffi- 
culties and  perils  of  that  journey.  I forgot  how  we  had 
been  surrounded  by  tigers  at  night,  keeping  the  camp- 
fires burning  bright  while  we  heard  them  roaring  for  prey 
in  the  jungles  around  us.  I forgot  how  I had  been  swept 
away  in  the  river.  I forgot  how  we  had  been  taken  by 


26 


THE  BIBLE  TESTED;  OR, 


the  jimgle  fever  and  deserted  by  all  our  coolies.  I could 
not  remember  any  of  these  things  then.  I thought  of 
souls  redeemed,  and  heaven’s  mansions  peopled,  and  I 
said,  “ If  in  that  one  village  the  Bible  has  done  this,  why 
not  in  hundreds  of  other  villages  where  we  have  left  it  ? ” 
Aye,  methinks  I can  see  the  throng  assembled  around 
the  great  white  throne,  and  it  may  be,  that  among  that 
throng  some  of  those  dusky  sons  or  daughters  of  India 
may  come  to  one  of  you,  and  grasping  your  hand,  say  to 
you,  “ Brother,  sister,  you  gave  that  dollar  to  the  Ameri- 
can Bible  Society  that  printed  that  Bible  that  came  away 
out  to  Hyderabad,  and  told  me  how  to  reach  heaven.” 
“ Child,  you  gave  that  dime  that  printed  the  New  Testa- 
ment that  told  me  how  to  get  to  heaven.”  And  in  the 
gladness  of  that  hour,  oh  friends,  will  we  ever,  one  of  us, 
regret  that  we  have  done  so  much  for  our  Master  ? Will 
we  not  rather  wish  that  we  had  joined  hands  in  sending 
this  word  of  God  into  every  palace  and  every  hut  on  the 
whole  globe  ? 

Does  this  Bible  change  the  character  and  the  lives  of 
those  who  embrace  itf  I w'ould  I could  take  you  to  a 
little  village  near  my  station  where  they  had  embraced 
Christianity  in  a body  but  eight  months  before,  and  where 
the  high  priest  of  the  tem})le  near  by,  came  secretly  to 
me  in  mj^  tent,  and  asked  me,  “ Sir,  will  you  please  impart 
to  me  the  secret ; what  is  it  that  makes  that  Bible  of  yours 
have  such  a power  over  the  lives  of  those  that  embrace 
it  ? Now,  it  is  but  eight  months  since  these  people  joined 
you.  Before  that  they  were  (juarrelsome,  they  were  riot- 
ous, they  were  lazy,  they  were  shiftless,  and  now  see  what 
a ditference  there  is  in  them.  Now  they  are  active,  they 
are  energetic,  they  are  laborious,  they  never  drink,  they 
never  quarrel.  Why,  sir,  I joined  in  the  persecution  when 
they  became  Christians  and  tried  to  stamp  out  Christianity 
before  it  gained  a foothold  here,  but  they  stood  firm,  and 
now  in  all  tlie  region  around  here  the  people  all  respect 
and  honour  them.  What  is  it  that  makes  the  Bible  have 
such  a power  over  the  lives  of  those  that  embrace  itf 


THE  BIBLE  IN  INDIA. 


27 


Oar  Vedas  have  no  such  power.  Tlease,  sir,  give  me 
the  secret.” 

Doea  it  sustain  its  recipients?  Our  first  convert  in  the 
new  region,  in  the  Telugu  country  where  T went  in  1803, 
was  a young  Hrahinin.  We  knew  that  there  was  danger  of 
his  being  murdered  and  tried  to  guard  him.  But  alter  a 
while — I cannot  stoj)  to  give  you  thewdiole  story  to-night — 
lie  was  decoyed  away  and  taken  over  one  hundred  miles  to  a 
town  where  his  relatives  lived.  He  was  immured  in  a close 
room.  Nothing  was  left  him  but  a cloth  around  his  loins. 
In  the  room  there  was  naught  but  a grass  mat  for  him  to 
lie  on,  with  nothing  to  cover  him.  Day  by  day  just  a little 
rice  ami  salt  was  placed  there  for  him  to  eat,  just  enough 
to  keep  body  and  soul  together ; and  be  was  told  that  he 
should  never  come  out  alive  unless  he  abjured  his  new- 
fangled doctrines  and  came  back  to  orthodox  Hinduism. 
His  grandfiither,  a wealthy  man,  otfered  half  his  fortune 
to  the  Brahmins  if  they  would  reconvert  him.  They 
brought  the  logicians,  the  rhetoricians,  and  the  priests  of 
all  the  region  to  argue  with  him.  They  had  taken  away 
his  Bible.  They  argued  with  him,  and  they  kept  him  for 
months.  I have  not  time  to  tell  you  the  thrilling  story 
of  his  escape,  but  at  last  he  got  back  to  us,  all  skin  and 
bones ; he  had  lost  all  his  flesh,  but  had  not  lost  his  faith 
and  his  trust  in  Jesus,  nor  his  love  for  this  Bible.  He  had 
never  denied  Him.  A year  after  that  we  met  his  uncles 
who  had  imprisoned  him.  They  said  to  us,  “ Sirs,  what  is 
it  in  that  Bible  of  yours  that  gives  such  strength  and 
courage  to  those  that  embrace  it  I Now,  we  had  that 
nephew  of  ours  right  in  our  power.  We  told  him  that 
he  should  never  get  away  alive  unless  he  renounced  Chris- 
tianity, and  there  was  no  probability  that  he  would.  He 
expected  to  die  from  starvation  there ; but,  sirs,  every  day, 
no  matter  who  were  there,  he  would  kneel  in  his  cell  and 
he  would  pray  to  that  Yesu  Kristu,  the  Divine  Eedeemer 
that  he  called  God,  and  when  he  arose  there  was  no  doing 
anything  with  him.  You  never  saw  such  a stubborn  fel- 
low. What  is  it  that  makes  this  Bible  give  such  nerve 
and  such  courage  to  those  that  embrace  it?” 


28 


V 

THE  BIBLE  TESTED;  OB, 

Does  this  Bible  qnell  opimsition  f It  is  quick  and  power- 
ful? I would  I could  take  you  to  a scene  in  that  same 
kingdom  of  Hyderabad  that  I witnessed  fourteen  years 
ago.  There  in  a city,  a walled  town  of  18,000  inhabitants, 
the  people  had  arisen  in  a mob  to  drive  us  out  because  we 
tried  to  speak  of  another  God  than  theirs.  We  had  gone 
to  the  market-place  and  I had  endeavoured  to  preach  to 
them  of  Christ  and  his  salvation,  but  they  would  not  hear. 
They  ordered  us  to  leave  the  city  at  once,  but  I had  de- 
clined to  leave  until  I had  delivered  to  them  my  message* 
The  throng  was  filling  the  streets.  They  told  me  if  I tried 
to  utter  another  word  I should  be  killed.  There  was  no 
rescue;  they  would  have  the  city  gates  closed,  and  there 
should  never  auy  news  go  forth  of  what  was  done.  I 
must  leave  at  once  or  I should  not  leave  alive.  I had 
seen  them  tear  up  the  paviug  stones  and  fill  their  arms 
with  them  to  be  ready,  and  one  was  saying  to  anotlier, 
“ You  throw  the  first  stone  and  1 will  throw  the  next.” 
By  an  artifice  I need  not  stop  now  to  detail,  I succeeded 
in  getting  permission  to  tell  them  a story  before  they 
stoned  me,  and  then  they  might  stone  me  if  they  wished. 
They  were  standing  around  me  ready  to  throw  the  stones 
when  I succeeded  in  getting  them  to  let  me  tell  the  story 
first.  I told  them  the  story  of  all  stories,  of  the  love  of  the 
Divine  Father  that  had  made  us  of  one  blood,  who  “ so 
loved  the  world  that  he  gave  his  only  begotten  Sou,  that 
whosoever  believeth  in  him  might  not  perish,  but  have 
everlasting  life.”  I told  them  the  story  of  that  birth  in 
the  manger  at  Bethlehem,  of  that  wonderful  childhood,  of 
that  marvellous  life,  of  those  miraculous  deeds,  of  the  gra- 
cious words  that  he  spake.  I told  them  the  story  of  the 
cross,  and  pictured  in  the  graphic  words  that  the  IMaster 
gave  me  that  day,  the  story  of  our  Saviour  nailed  upon 
the  cross,  for  them,  for  me,  for  all  the  world,  when  he  cried 
in  agony,  “My  God,  my  God,  why  hast  thou  forsaken  me  ?” 
When  1 told  them  that,  I saw  the  men  go  and  throw  their 
stones  ill  the  gutter  and  come  back,  and  down  the  cheeks 
of  the  very  men  that  had  been  clamouring  the  loudest 


THE  BIBLE  IX  INDIA. 


29 


for  my  blood  I saw  the  tears  running  and  dropping  ott 
upon  the  pavement  that  they  had  torn  np;  and  when  1 
had  linished  the  story  and  told  them  how  he  had  been  laid 
in  the  grave  and  after  three  days  lie  had  come  forth  tri- 
umphant, and  had  ascended  again  to  heaven,  and  that 
there  he  ever  lives  to  make  intercession  for  them,  for  ns, 
for  all  the  world,  and  that  through  his  merits  every  one  of 
them  there  assembled  could  obtain  remission  of  sin  and 
eternal  life,  I told  them  then  that  I had  linished  my  story 
and  they  might  stone  me  now ; but  no,  they  didn’t  want 
to  stone  me  now ; they  didn’t  know  what  a wonderful  story 
I had  come  there  to  tell  them.  They  came  forward  and 
bought  eighty  co])ies  of  the  Scriiitnres  and  gospels  and 
tracts,  and  paid  the  money  for  them,  for  they  w'anted  to 
know  more  of  that  wonderful  ►Saviour  of  whom  I had  told 
them. 

What  do  our  emmies  say  of  the  Bible  f those  keen- 
witted Brahmius,  who  know  their  own  Vedas,  with  all 
their  beauties,  who  are  capable  of  judging  of  what  they 
read.  What  do  those  our  enemies  say  of  this  book?  I 
will  tell  you  what  they  say ; I will  give  you  the  testimony 
of  one  of  their  Brahmins,  not  a Christian. 

I had  been  delivering  a series  of  lectures  to  the  edu- 
cated men  in  my  region  on  their  Vedas  and  the  Christian 
Scriptures,  compared  and  contrasted.  I had  shown  them 
by  quotations  from  their  Vedas  and  Shastras  that  their 
Scriptures  pointed  out  one  God,  pure  and  holy  and  good; 
the  creator,  and  preserver,  and  controller  of  all  things; 
that  their  Scriptures  pointed  out  man  in  a state  of  sin 
and  rebellion  against  that  holy  God.  I had  shown  them 
that  their  Vedas  pointed  out  the  fact  that  sinful  man 
could  not  be  at  peace  with  holy  God  until  that  sin  was 
in  some  way  expurgated.  I had  shown  them  that  their 
Scriptures  brought  man  up  to  the  edge  of  the  gulf  that 
yawned  between  sinful  man  and  sinless  God,  and  left  him 
there  yearning  on  the  brink,  anxious  to  get  over  but  with 
no  means  of  crossing ; that  the  Christian  Scriptures  point- 
ing out  God  as  a God  of  purity  and  holiness,  and  man 


30 


THE  BIBLE  TESTED;  OR, 


in  a state  of  sin,  had  brought  man  to  the  edge  of  the 
same  chasm,  but  that  they,  in  and  through  Jesus  Christ, 
the  God-man,  had  bridged  that  gulf;  that  Jesus  Christ 
in  his  human  nature  resting  on  man’s  side,  in  his  divine 
nature  on  God’s  side,  bridged  the  gulf,  and  that  we  could 
all  pass  over,  dropping  our  sins  into  the  chasm  as  we  went, 
and  be  at  peace  with  holj^  God.  There  had  been  in  that 
concluding  lecture  a most  profound  silence.  The  room 
was  packed,  and  the  windows,  all  open,  reaching  down 
low,  were  filled  with  the  heads  of  those  standing  outside 
who  were  anxious  to  hear.  There  were  no  Christians 
present  except  my  singing  baud;  they  were  all  heathen. 
When  I had  finished,  offering  a short  prayer  to  the  God  of 
truth  to  bring  us  all  to  understand  the  truth,  whatever  it 
might  be,  and  rose  taking  my  book  to  leave,  a Brahmin 
in  the  audience  asked  permission  to  say  a few  words.  I 
said  to  myself,  “Now  there  will  be  a tough  discussion, 
for  that  man  is  the  most  learned  man  in  the  audience 
and  the  best  reasoner  in  all  this  region.”  But  I had 
determined  to  stand  my  ground,  for  I had  reserve  am- 
munition that  I had  not  yet  used.  I expected  him  to 
attack  the  ground  I had  taken,  for  I had  taken  strong 
ground  that  night  as  to  the  insuttipiency  of  their  V^das ; 
but  instead  of  that  he  gave  one  of  the  most  beautiful 
addresses  that  I ever  listened  to  in  any  language.  It 
was  so  graphic,  so  beautiful,  that  I went  home  and  wrote 
it  out  in  the  English  language,  j)art  of  it,  preserving  his 
phraseology  and  idiom  as  far  as  1 could,  and  I wish  to 
read  you  a few  sentences  to-night  to  show  you  what  he 
thought  of  the  Christian  Scriptures.  He  said : 

A BBAHMIN  ON  THE  BIBLE. 

“Behold  that  mango  tree  on  yonder  roadside!  Its  fruit  is  ap- 
proaching to  ripeness.  Bears  it  that  fruit  for  itself  or  for  its  own  profit? 
From  the  moment  the  lirst  ripe  fruits  turn  their  yellow  sides  towards 
the  morning  sun  until  the  last  mango  is  pelted  ofi‘,  it  is  a.ssailed  with 
showers  of  sticks  and  stones  from  boys  and  men,  and  ev'ery  pjvsser  by, 
until  it  stands  bereft  of  leaves,  with  branches  knocked  off,  bleeding  from 
many  a broken  twig;  and  piles  of  stone  underneath,  and  clubs  and 
sticks  lodged  in  its  boughs,  are  the  only  trophies  of  its  joyous  crop  of 


THE  BIBLE  IN  INDIA. 


31 


fruit.  Is  it  discouraged?  Does  it  cea.se  to  bear  fruit?  Does  it  say,  ‘ If 
I am  barren  no  one  will  pelt  me,  and  I shall  live  in  peace?  ’ Not  at 
all.  The  next  season  the  budding  leaves,  the  beauteous  flowers,  the 
tender  fruit,  again  appear.  Again  it  is  pelted,  and  l)roken  and  \vound- 
ed,  but  goes  on  bearing,  and  cliildren’s  children  pelt  its  branches  and 
enjoy  its  fruit. 

"That  is  a type  of  these  missionaries.  I have  wateiied  tliem  well, 
and  have  seen  what  they  are.  Wliat  do  they  come  to  this  country  for? 
What  tempts  them  to  leave  their  parents,  friends,  and  country,  and 
come  to  this,  to  them  unhealthy,  climate?  Is  it  for  gain  or  for  profit 
that  they  come?  Some  of  us  country  clerks  in  government  ofiices  re- 
ceive more  salary  than  they.  Is  it  for  the  sake  of  an  easy  life?  See 
how  they  work,  and  then  tell  me.  No;  they  .seek,  like  the  mango 
tree,  to  bear  fruit  for  the  l)cuefit  of  others,  and  that,  too,  though  treaterl 
witii  contumely  and  abuse  from  those  they  are  benefiting. 

“ Now,  what  is  it  makes  them  do  all  this  for  us?  It  is  their  Bible. 
I have  looked  into  it  a good  deal  at  one  time  and  another,  in  the 
different  languages  I chance  to  know.  It  is  just  the  .same  in  all  lan- 
guages. The  Bible — there  is  nothing  to  compare  witli  it  in  all  our 
sacred  books  for  goodness,  and  purity,  and  holiness,  and  love,  and  for 
motives  of  action. 

“ Where  did  the  English-speaking  people  get  all  their  intelligence, 
and  energy,  and  cleverness,  and  j)ower?  It  is  their  Bible  that  gives  it 
to  them.  And  now  they  bring  it  to  us  and  say,  ‘This  is  what  raised 
us  ; take  it  and  raise  yourselves ! ’ They  do  not  force  it  upon  us,  as  the 
Mohammedans  did  with  their  Koran,  but  they  bring  it  in  love,  and 
translate  it  into  our  languages,  and  lay  it  before  us,  and  say,  ‘Look 
at  it;  read  it;  examine  it,  and  see  if  it  is  not  good.’  Of  one  thing  I am 
convinced : do  what  we  will,  oppose  it  as  we  may,  it  is  the  Christian’s 
Bible  that  will,  sooner  or  later,  work  the  regeneration  of  this  land.’’ 

“ Yerily,  their  rock  is  not  as  our  Eock,  even  our  enemies 
themselves  being  judges  ” 

The  Bible  has  always  had  its  enemies;  so  has  every- 
thing that  is  good,  in  the  moral  or  physical  world.  In 
Eulton’s  time  the  wiseacres  of  his  day  proved  to  a demon- 
stration, as  they  thought,  that  his  invention  of  a steamboat 
was  worthless ; that  the  plan  was  faulty ; the  engine  was 
defective,  and  that  it  could  not  work.  But  when,  on  the 
morning  set  for  its  trial,  the  banks  of  the  Hudson  were 
lined  with  the  anxious  throng  who  had  come  to  see  it  put 
to  the  proof;  when  the  steam  was  turned  on,  and  the  wheels 
began  to  revolve,  and  the  boat  glided  out,  cutting  its  way 
through  the  placid  waters  of  the  river,  shout  on  shout  from 
river  bank  and  window  and  roof  rent  the  sky.  What  did 


32  THE  BIBLE  TESTED;  OR,  THE  BIBLE  IN  INDIA. 

they  care  for  the  demonstrations  of  the  wise  men  I The 
steamer  worked,  and  that  was  enough. 

So  we  will  let  the  so-called  wise  men  of  this  day  prove 
to  their  own  satisfaction  that  the  Bible  is  worthless;  hut  so 
long  as  it  ivories — redeeming,  elevating  mankind,  causing 
the  moral  desert  to  blossom  as  the  rose — ive  will  stand  hy  it^ 
so  help  us  God ! It  has  had  attacks  before,  and  has  survived 
them.  At  the  close  of  the  last  century  there  were  those 
who,  after  demonstrating,  as  they  said,  that  it  was  anticpia- 
ted,  and  defective,  and  etfete,  j>rophesied  that  before  the 
middle  of  this  century  it  would  be  found  only  on  the 
shelves  of  the  antiquarian;  hut  yet  it  works.  And  while 
your  existence  and  your  names,  oh  enemies  of  the  Bible, 
are  fading  from  the  remembrance  of  mankind — verifying 
the  prophecy  contained  in  that  Word,  that  “the  memory 
of  the  wicked  shall  rot” — the  Bible  that  you  despised, 
translated  since  your  day  into  150  more  languages,  is  run- 
ning through  the  world,  conquering  and  to  conquer,  till 
all  the  earth  shall  be  subject  to  its  sway. 

Brothers,  sisters,  friends,  we  have  this  Bible.  It  is  our 
priceless  heritage.  Let  us  read  it  more.  Let  us  study  it 
more.  Let  us  love  it  more.  Let  us  live  it  more ; and  let 
us  join  hands  with  this  Society  in  giving  it  to  all  the 
world,  to  every  creature. 


